The first thing that Diana did after the Witch gave her time limit was cancel the chauffeur to Alpha. Could they have gotten home safely in the roughly thirty six hours, eighteen hours twice over, it would take them to return home? She wasn’t sure. Would the Pirate attack them or stop them within that time? That was also unknown. During the war she had halted the flights of many Order of Ash airships, it was how she got her name. The woman had lost countless friends and family in the Order attacks, she had nothing to fear and would board ships thousands of feet in the air with barely a rope to swing off of. It was her daring that stopped many bombings from happening. Over a full day and a half of flight, with at least one refuel, was too much time in the air. Could Diana scramble fighter airships and the might of the army? Probably. Could the Pirate still find some way to steal the children? Once again, she thought, probably.
Why the week though? she and the others had thought. Well, for one it lined up with Diana’s or rather the Mimic’s weekly speech. Jonah was the first one to point that out to the others. In his search for the Witch’s confession--which he had found in pieces and separated, possibly useless from static--he had been keeping track of the Mimic’s radio speeches. He had recorded them, but Diana didn’t want to hear them. According to him they were all trash lines praising the Heroes and their constant vigilance. What more could they say to ruin Diana’s track record and good name? As Warren pointed out, “More, there’s always more to ruin ya.” Saying that she was one of them would, that was sure. When Diana listened to them anyway, she noted that Fia’s pet never stressed one point, that Diana was part of them. The Mimic went on and on about the others, but didn’t include Diana among them. It was torture to hear the speeches, listening to one’s own voice say things that you never said. If it wasn’t for Jonah listening with her, then she would have ripped the headphones off her head and never went back.
The Psyin Clerics of Alpha were still deliberating whether they should protect children from harm, so the party only had the Corpine temple behind them. Warren was talking directly with his uncle and father, trying to make sure they were ready whenever the Ash Makers came. What the high ranking officials wanted to do and what they could do were very different things with the blockade still going on. The Paladin was also in communication with Diana’s father, by her own insistence not telling him about the undead or Fia's ultimatum. The king was in peace talks with the Wanshi kingdom, which could last weeks, he didn't need anymore stress. Most of their communication then was through the Court Mage, who at the mere implication of trouble was offering to teleport Diana and the others out of the city.
Whether the Witch was going to keep her word was unclear and on the same day that Chiru awoke they met with a surprise. It didn’t matter if the Witch kept her word, because they were being watched anyway.
Diana and Jonah headed up to the rooftop garden, the diplomacy of the day having exhausted the princess. She was happy that Chiru and her had come to an agreement, through no help from Eutace. The Druid rested back on the heather bed planters, looking up at the darkening sky over Alpha. Her and Jonah relaxed for a moment, but Diana couldn’t stop thinking about all the possible avenues. In the fine bedding grass she listened to the Mimic’s speeches, Jonah holding her hand the whole time. Aiko laid on the other side of her.
All the speeches listened to, Diana removed the headphones and curled up next to Jonah, considering a nap for the day. Rosetta was hovering around the roof in a watch. The Sorceress had been so determined since she woke that day, the strain of which shone on her pale face as a red blush. It was Aiko that snapped to attention first, putting its paws up on the lattice walls that surrounded the rooftop and all the planters. Rosetta zoomed over, her feet touching the wall as she gazed over it. Jonah joined them all, furrowing his brow at the sight.
Through Aiko, Diana saw the source of all the concern. A beautiful woman walking across the neighboring roof. She was dressed only in a lush silken robe that was cut up to her hips and down her full breasts that were barely held in place by strings. Her black hair was half up in a bun with needles going through it. The garb was common fare for Wanshi Witches, whose magic was strange yet similar enough to land them the title. The woman was walking about the roof, pressing her bare foot into the featureless stone. As she did, holes formed in the roof, strings snaring the empty air. They were nothing from her, but Rosetta’s traps that she had laid. She smiled up at Rosetta some seven stories up, squinting her finely shaped eyes. Though she appeared human, her stench, which easily wafted up to Aiko, was that of a Hag.
The Sorceress made to rush down there, but Aiko caught her by the leg, growling.
“Don’t be a fool,” Diana snapped. “You don’t know what she is.”
“She’s gonna be fuckin’ dead in a ruddy minute,” Rosetta said, tugging at the limb stuck in the tiger’s mouth. “I can sense her, she’s a Mage, probably one of the blasted Hags.”
Diana rose from her place in the heather. She hadn't realized how strong the Sorceresses' eyes were, what blessing was laid upon them. Before now she had never been in a truly threatening situation with her. Well, besides the assassin.
The moment now filled the Druid with terror, but also a giddy excitement. Should the Night Crew attack, at that moment she knew she would want to fight them. She knew they would need help for the Heroes, if they dared show their faces. From the way that Warren talked about the Vampire, she knew he wanted to fight against the beast. Now that they were being watched, intimidated, they had to prepare for the Witch to break her word. If the Ash Makers came, they had to be prepared for the Night crew to suddenly attack.
“Don’t go, not yet, not alone,” Diana told Rosetta, looking over the rooftop wall.
Jonah was standing too, aiming his gun at the woman. “Think I can hit her from here?” he asked.
The Druid considered the distance and the logistics for a moment. No, don’t, she signed to him, signaling for his arm. Once she had his screen up, she wrote out, “They may have a counter for your weapon should they attack later.”
Jonah nodded in agreement.
“Rosetta, launch something at her, she’s annoying me. Don’t hit her though,” Diana said.
“Gladly,” Rosetta said, gathering matter from the wall. A small stone missile formed in front of her and with a powerful whip of her hand it went flying through the air with a sharp whizzing sound.
Before the Hag could finish writing a rune, the bullet hissed past her, hitting the roof with a boom. Her hair whipped across her face and the tiger’s keen eyes could see her sneer. Smirking, Rosetta prepared a mock volley to send her way. From her neck the Hag brought out a medallion and rubbed her thumb across it. Within seconds the Hag vanished from the rooftop in a shimmer.
“She showed too much of her hand,” Diana said happily.
“Can we counter that?” Jonah asked, his eyes shimmering with his indexing.
“We could consider it, but that is more the realm of a Wizard,” she said, nodding. “Our Paladin may know a trick or two to detect them entering at least. Come, let’s go downstairs and discuss it with him.”
They went down into the penthouse, where Warren was dealing with his family through slowly sent parchment. Warren had heard the launch of the stone missile and groaned at the telling of the run-in on the roofs, but Diana could tell the possibility of a fight interested the Paladin. Downstairs they talked it over with Eutace, who was guarding the doors of the young Ash Makers. Even though Diana didn’t like the Cleric much for his carelessness and rilling ways, he was an invaluable ally to have. Rosetta seemed to despise him, hiding her sneers for him when he turned away from her.
“We have to prepare more,” Warren said, shaking his head. “First of all, if ya ever hope to fire that gun and live, ya need armor, my good man.” He pointed to Jonah. “Rosie and I will start in on it. When we get a chance we’ll work on targets and ammo for ya too.”
Rosetta smiled at this.
“We also need some decent traps about the building,” Eutace pointed out, glancing at Rosetta, who ignored him.
“I shall harvest some of my plants, I need weapons,” Diana said.
“That will be good for more wolfsbane,” said the Cleric.
“I need to find a way to remotely disable the elevator,” Jonah commented.
Warren held up his armored hands. “Rosie and I will stay with you, miss,” he said. “You stay here.” He tilted his head to Eutace.
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“What’s Kalyah doing?” Jonah wondered.
“The worst job of all, waking up the twins. She didn’t want any strangers since last time didn’t go so well. Niae and her are gonna manage the two with Chiru, see how that goes,” Warren explained.
“I hope they are well,” Diana remarked.
“Well, I don’t know how Chiru is still managing, especially with her hand in a cast,” Warren said, throwing a glance at Eutace.
“I am your fellow here, it is best to forget the past,” Eutace said. “I will keep watch and plan some traps for when you return. If we block teleportation and disable the elevator, all they will have is the stairs. Whenever your family or the Clerics here get things straight, then we can stand our ground while the surviving Ash Makers enter the building.”
“Hopefully they can enter the city alright,” Jonah said with a frown.
“They managed to sneak around the place for months, hopefully they can do it again,” Diana told him.
“Yeah, I know it hurt you, but I hope they have a working Blinder or emitter to enter the sewers again,” he said. “If it doesn’t work on the undead, then maybe it will work on the Heroes.”
“They must have had ear protection on before,” Diana pondered. “Your gun did work on the Guardian’s armor.”
Jonah laughed joylessly. “He’s the last one I want to deal with,” he said in fear.
“Well, with armor it shouldn’t be too unfair,” Warren added, signaling them towards the elevator.
“Tell us if Kalyah needs our help,” Diana told Eutace.
The Cleric nodded, returning to his seat by the door.
The proud Wanshi sat in the stool with her hand still in a cast, beside the bed of the still sleeping twins. Kalyah thought she wielded the arm like a trophy, even though it was her own rage that earned her it. The painkillers keeping her from being in constant teeth gnashing agony had made her eyes heavy, but she kept fighting their influence. Niae and the Priestess had both tried to heal her and were turned down. All the skin was repaired, the bullet screen a rough surface to strike. It was a common boxer’s break, adding to it the knuckles and finger bones. She had dealt with the injury with far more strength than even Kalyah possessed. Even on the pain relieving drugs, she held her head up high, hair secured back with a jade ornament.
With a tap on the forehead each, Susan and Ed began to stir from their sleep. Both were dressed in a long cotton nightshirt, the elaborate designs of which were common to the elves. Even in magical sleep the twins held hands or cuddled against each other often. It was sweet in a way, but Kalyah knew it was a behavior bred into children when all they had was each other for comfort. Their blonde lashes fluttered, both sets equally long. Susan gagged on her dry tongue loudly while Eddy only swallowed in silence. Niae handed Kalyah the cups, which she held out for the twins. The bed was massive, far too long for them, and they only took up a small corner of it. Susan kept to the outside and Ed didn’t roll far away from her. The sister drank, handing off the other cup to Ed, not letting Kalyah reach over to him. When the boy coughed it was Susan that patted his back.
Sitting back down, Kalyah waited for them to drink their fill.
Their blue eyes fell upon Niae first, being the largest. The sad days of prayer and drug induced hazes had been necessary due to their lividness bringing trauma. Kalyah wasn’t so sure now, being glanced over like she was some stranger. It had only been a day and a half since she had comforted them. A day half full of nightmares brought on by the mental exploration in their heads, she feared they blamed her.
“Hey sweetie, do you remember me?” Kalyah asked when the blue gaze fell on her. She put her hands out on the bed, flat like one might feed an animal.
Susan cleared her throat. “More water, please, miss,” she said hoarsely. After another round of cups, the young girl looked at Chiru. A grimace overtook her young face and tears her bright eyes. “He’s gone, still?”
“Who?” Chiru asked flatly.
“Genji, you said he was gone, but you wouldn’t tell me anymore,” she said, her faint Grunhir accent noting her vowels. The heartbroken and long way that she said the boy’s name hurt Kalyah.
Chiru shrugged. “If he was in the caves, then he is gone,” she said, her own accent coming off as direct, the emphasis falling hard on varying words.
“You don’t know?” Susan snapped angrily. The air cracked around her, a puff of smoke trailing up to the ceiling. Her blue eyes started to fill up with ink as she stared at the uncaring face of Chiru.
“Sweetie, sweetie, it’s alright, take a deep breath,” Kalyah said, backing away slightly. Her body was constructed by magic and she wasn’t sure whether that and the illusions on her clothing would snap.
Below Susan the floor lost its polish in a growing circle around her. The beds were not made out of anything magical, but the crackling magic coming out of her--the millisecond fast flashes of fire that turned to smoke--might set the sheets ablaze. She was crying, her heart shattered, but there was also fury and that fury had a target not that far from her. As Susan made to flare her hand out in Chiru’s direction, she was swept off the bed and raised high off of it.
Niae held the young girl against her shoulder, patting her back like an infant. The real mother will always be better than me, Kalyah thought sadly. The Arch Priestess shushed the girl, not speaking a word to her, just letting her let it out. The anger was still there and she twisted about in the child-like hold Niae had her in.
“Why? Why didn’t you just tell me?” she spat at Chiru. Her eyes were blue again, but they blazed and cried freely.
“We do not know whether he is gone, my dear,” Niae said softly, her voice clear and concise.
Susan blinked at her, confused.
“There was some strangeness in the attack, this we know. What exactly happened is unclear, for afterwards all traces of your camp vanished. Give me the name of this boy, his full name, and I shall give it to the Crow Clerics. The watchers at death’s door shall know if he passed on through the Raven King’s gates,” she went on.
The confusion went on with the girl and Niae gently held her on her hip, smiling sweetly. “Genji, um,” she said, then clearly wracked her brains for an answer she didn’t have.
“Genji Wantanabe,” Chiru answered. “I don’t know what happened to him, because I saw you and ran after you. I saw no one but Beth die…” The young woman choked on the name and Kalyah saw her heart beat in sorrow.
“That’s awful,” Ed commented. “I’m sorry. You, you didn’t tell us.”
Chiru steeled herself again. “We had more important things to deal with than who did or didn’t die. We had to live.” She cleared her throat now. “You returned to the camp?” she asked Niae.
“We did, and found nothing, not even a drop of blood,” Niae answered, furrowing her blonde brow. “When we returned the foul souls that created such a tragedy were looking to us for answers. I am so sorry that you had to face such trials and horrors, my dear children. I did all I could to stop it. I watched over you, but my help was not desired and before I could gather a group to see you, you all were attacked.”
“It was your animals setting off the alarms?” Chiru asked.
“Yes, my conjured Doves were only sent to watch, but they were detected and I was subjected to your emitters that cause a locking of the joints. I would have kept watching and facing them, I do not care to face harm in the cause of something good, but I was convinced otherwise,” she explained glumly. “Though I doubt that my watching would have done anything except speed up the time of discovery for the camp’s destruction. Even now I cannot convince the police of the city to protect you all here. In the end though, I am glad to have you here safe with me and the others. It was Miss Diana’s plants that discovered you all in the sewers, so you have her to thank for that.” She turned to Chiru. “To speak truthfully, it was all those you spoke with down stairs that came to your rescue, save my quick talking grandson who led to the breaking of your hand. Dear sweet Kalyah led you out of there with the maps she had memorized and a Moth, a wonderful use of magic she had just learned.”
Kalyah blushed at the woman’s praise.
“I have never seen a more determined soul when it came to the mending of your three bodies,” Niae finished, smiling down at the Pixie elf.
“Niae, you’re over nine hundred, you’ve seen everything,” Kalyah laughed nervously.
The Arch Priestess beamed at the shocked look from Susan, still in her arms. “I have seen almost everything true, but I am still glad to be surprised by your swiftness of thought and memory. And her caring, I am half tempted to promote her to High Priestess myself.”
“Not yet,” Kalyah said firmly. “I haven't earned it yet.”
“Now sweetie, I am going to put you down and call for the Crow Clerics to check on your young man,” Niae said, setting Susan down on the bed. She headed over to the phone and instantly started talking in rapid elvish.
The young girl held Kalyah’s offered hand. “Thank you, miss,” she said gratefully. “I remember you watching over us. I saw your face first when I got out of the sewers. I hope I didn’t scare you.”
“No, no, Niae and I have different techniques of helping people is all,” Kalyah said as a light lie. She now thought it foolish to be afraid of the girl and her black gaze. She hadn't noticed any slack in the Arch Priestess clothes, so her magical body must have been fine.
“Oh miss, can they check on someone else?” Ed said quietly. His face fell as Niae put the phone down.
“Just a moment dear, I am waiting on a silly indirect system of phone calls,” Niae said. “What was the name?”
“Hilda, a nice lady, but I don’t know her last name,” Ed answered, shrinking on the spot.
Niae considered for a moment. “I was about to call them before we entered the camp, but did not. I suppose I might as well have a Trio come here to check over all those that died. There are no bodies, but they should be able to track their souls. They will trust me and keep secrets, still as the grave…” She switched to elvish, speaking directly to Kalyah. “They are also adept at fighting the undead, which we may be against soon. What do you think?” She had received a note from her grandson about the princess's fears and the Night Crew's appearance and hadn't remarked on it since she and Kalyah had read it.
“Yes, I believe that is good,” Kalyah said back in elvish.
“They are somber souls, but do not be frightened of them children,” Niae said, speaking again in common. “The gods have decreed that all must die, and the Crow Clerics are the caretakers of bodies and souls lost.”
Despite the kind way in which she spoke, the twins looked frightened anyway. Chiru was nearly asleep sitting up, the painkillers for her hand having won the battle for her consciousness. Before returning to the children, Kalyah laid Chiru down on a couch, where she snored away. Niae called in the Clerics of the Crow and sat down, waiting for them to show up.